Mobbed! Ben Stiller is rushed by sea of fans after taking the stage at Taormina Film Festival in Italy... but keeps his cool

So it’s no wonder Ben Stiller was mobbed by fans at the 60th Taormina Film Fest in Italy on Thursday. The 48-year-old actor was rushed by the audience that held cell phones and papers in their hands before he started a Q&A session.

But the Blended star did not lose his cool. Instead, he greeted the crowd and even took selfies with certain people.

International star power: Ben Stiller was mobbed by a mass of fans at the 60th Taormina Film Fest in Taromina, Italy on Thursday

‘As
a kid, I always wanted to be a director,’ Ben said. ‘The acting part
was something I actually came to later. I never really necessarily
wanted to be in comedies.'

His wife Christine was also at the festival. Together they attended a party later that evening with fellow festival attendee Melanie Griffith, who had completely covered a love tattoo with estranged husband Antonio Banderas' name.

Also seen at the festival was Bo Derek, Eva Longoria and Paz Vega.

History: The Taormina Film Fest is Italy's oldest film festival, beginning in 1955, and is running from June 14 to 21

Nice guy: Ben looked perfectly willing and eager to sign autographs

‘The
comedy just sort of happened,' Still said.

'It wasn’t really that I was trying to do
that as an actor. I really always wanted to direct the movies.’

Meanwhile,
Ben’s Red Hour Productions is executive producing the web series, Next
Time On Lonny, coming on board for season two, which launched June 3,
after witnessing the success of season one.

The show revolves around ‘next time’ segments, previewing an upcoming episode that never actually happens.

Later: Stiller posed with Melanie Griffith at a party thrown for the festival

Girls night out: The Two Much actress (center) with Ben's wife Christine Taylor (left) and a Tiziana Rocca (right) looking glam in their fancy dresses

Ben will be acting and producing in the upcoming film sequels, Zoolander 2 and Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb.

The Taormina Film Fest is Italy’s oldest film festival, beginning in 1955, and is running from June 14 to 21.

The
competitive event features film previews, independent features,
documentaries, shorts, and tributes to filmmakers of the past.

This year, the festival is honouring the work of women in film, with its subtitle being '60 years of women and their impact.'

Looking good: He participated in a photo call on Thursday, sporting a dark blue button-up with jeans and Adidas sneakers